Politics

Labour has criticised the government’s change to social care reforms but failed to come up with details of an alternative way to fund care. Labour MP Sarah Owen accused the Conservatives of breaking their promise that nobody would have to sell their home to pay for care. MPs last night backed a change to social

A controversial change to the government’s social care reforms in England has been backed by MPs, despite critics arguing the move will disproportionately affect the poorest recipients of care. MPs voted 272 to 246, a majority of 26, to add the proposal to the Health and Care Bill. Having promised to “fix the crisis in

A minister has failed to guarantee people will not have to sell their homes to pay for social care ahead of a possible Tory rebellion over the issue. Paul Scully, the small business minister, told Sky News Boris Johnson’s 2019 manifesto promise was a “single headline” and it is not possible to tackle the problem

France has pledged to “fight every day” to uphold its fishermen’s rights as the country’s post-Brexit dispute with the UK continues. During a meeting with fishermen in northern France on Sunday, minister of the sea Annick Giardin promised to “not give up” in the row over fishing licenses and criticised the UK’s interpretation of post-Brexit

Sajid Javid has played down the need for more restrictions to be introduced in the coming weeks, telling Sky News that England is “firmly” in Plan A at the moment. Speaking on Trevor Phillips On Sunday, the health secretary said ministers must “remain cautious, not complacent in any way” – but said he hoped people

A government review will look at how to stop migrants crossing the English Channel and entering the UK amid concern that current measures are not working. Downing Street has tasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Stephen Barclay with bringing departments together to find a solution. More than 24,700 people have arrived in the

Hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is at increased risk due to a failure to conduct sufficient checks on the now-collapsed finance firm that David Cameron lobbied for, a committee of MPs has found. A a new report by the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee (PAC), on the lessons to be learned

An ex-Conservative MP who was jailed for sexual assault has revealed he is unemployed and currently making a Universal Credit claim as he was hauled before a court over unpaid costs. Charlie Elphicke, the former Dover MP, was released from prison in September after serving half his two-year jail sentence for three sexual assaults on

The government was not “fully prepared” for the “wide-ranging impacts” of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report, which found that Brexit both helped and hindered preparations for future crises. There was a lack of detailed plans for shielding, job support schemes and school disruption, the National Audit Office found. According to the watchdog,

“I want to be the prime minister who does with Northern Powerhouse Rail what we did for Crossrail in London.” Those were the words of Boris Johnson days after he entered Downing Street in 2019. As people digest the contents of his government’s Integrated Rail Plan, there will be many people who will feel the

Northern political leaders have warned the government will pass up huge economic benefits and betray promises to voters if, as expected, it cancels major rail projects including the eastern leg of HS2 and a new Manchester-Leeds line. Boris Johnson will unveil a long-delayed integrated rail plan for the Midlands and the north of England today,

MPs have backed the government’s approach to curbing MPs’ outside interests, after Labour’s proposals were voted down in the Commons. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used one of his party’s designated opposition day debates in the Commons to put forward a motion setting out his party’s plans for banning MPs from paid political consultancy work.

A cabinet minister has said she “would have probably slapped” Stanley Johnson if he inappropriately touched her in the way alleged by senior Conservative MP Caroline Nokes. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the move would have been her “instinctive response” and that Ms Nokes demonstrated “great personal restraint if she quietly moved away”. Ms

Boris Johnson has set out plans to ban MPs from working as paid political consultants or lobbyists in the wake of Westminster’s sleaze row. In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, the prime minister said there was a need to ensure rules for MPs are “up to date, effective and appropriately

Stanley Johnson, the former MEP and father of the prime minister, has been accused of inappropriately touching a senior Conservative MP. Caroline Nokes, a former minister and chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said the incident took place at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool in 2003, when she was in her early

Boris Johnson has raised the prospect of Britons soon needing a booster jab to be considered “fully vaccinated” when going abroad or for self-isolation rules. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, the prime minister revealed plans to add evidence of a vaccine top-up to the NHS COVID pass. He also said Britons would find

The possible introduction of further coronavirus restrictions this winter is in “our hands”, Oliver Dowden has said. The Conservative Party co-chairman told Kay Burley that there are “no plans or anything else to stop Christmas happening” this year as the situation is different compared to 2020 because of the success of the vaccination rollout. But

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed the “game-changing” agreement made at COP26 but says that countries need to “stand by” the decisions they made in the 11th hour of the talks. The climate talks ended with an agreement on Saturday, after 15 days of deliberations, although, a late disagreement over the wording on fossil fuels

The goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C is in “intensive care” after the conclusion of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Labour’s Ed Miliband has told Sky News. Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sunday, the shadow business, energy and industrial strategy secretary said it is now “our job in the next 12 months to show

Two MPs have admitted using their parliamentary offices as part of a paid meeting. Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran and senior Conservative backbencher Crispin Blunt both took part in a panel event for Bindmans legal firm regarding the treatment of detainees in Saudi Arabia. According to her register of interests, Ms Moran has